[Interview_2] Alice Lenkiewicz

Alice Lenkiewicz is the author of Men Hate Blondes (origional plus, 2009), a poetry collection; and, Maxine (Bluechrome Publishing, 2005), a novella.

In addition to being a writer and a poet, she is also an artist and a poetry and art magazine editor.

In an earlier interview, she spoke about the series of events that led to her setting up Neon Highway, the magazine she edits with Jane Marsh.

Below, Alice Lenkiewicz talks about some of the ways in which she approaches her work as a writer:

How would you describe your writing?

I have found that what I read and how I write are different things. When creating a process of writing poetry and fiction I am quite interested in the ‘cut up’ method and using various techniques that are considered postmodern, such as playing and challenging the traditional idea of linear text, creating a variety of discourses, mixing different genres, taking note of the voice and the author and how this will affect the overall viewpoint. I enjoy challenging the idea of singular identity with inter-textual references.

Postmodern theory opened up a new ways of seeing the world and provided me with interesting ways of experimenting with language and plot. I experimented with this in my novella, Maxine, the idea of multiplicity and ‘self’. Identity and place were important parts of this book, drawing attention to the idea of metafiction.

I also experimented with the idea of fact and fiction, prescriptive versus descriptive language, the authoritative voice and the subversive voice, the idea that nothing is finite, the displacement of self, identity and place, the various ways of interpreting time.

Maxine was my final MA thesis and was written in context with the Writing Studies course I was on, that focused on theorists such as Foucault and Roland Barthes.

I am also interested in Surrealism, reinterpreting the dream and the subversive nature of fairytales and the sublime.

When it comes to poetry I am quite diverse. Sometimes I write in traditional forms and sometimes I will go outside the norms playing and experimenting with the language yet again in multiple ways. .

I read a variety of works, both traditional and alternative. I enjoy the Victorian novel and poetry such as Keats and Donne, Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath. I also enjoy reading works by Gertrude Stein, Albert Camus, Kafka and Carlos Williams as well as more contemporary poets such as A.C. Evans, and poets from my own magazine, Neon Highway.

I have come to appreciate language as a tool for understanding and enquiry. Language can be about sound and exploring the visual. It does not always have to make immediate sense. It’s a complex subject. But I think a variety of techniques are necessary to explore in order for writers to gain the most out of understanding their own writing process and also to find out what it is they actually enjoy.

Who is your target audience? And, what motivated you to start writing for this audience?

I am very open with the idea of my audience. I enjoy variety and I don’t celebrate the idea of being instructive or factual in my approach. I find that once you label yourself a certain kind of writer with a certain technique then people find it harder to approach your work. For instance, at one point I was known for being an ‘experimental poet’ which can get in the way of people’s thought processes and there have been times when people have said they didn’t understand what I had written when in fact it had been a traditional sonnet following traditional rhythm and metre, so it can lead to some surprisingly awkward and confusing situations.

I don’t mind people saying they don’t understand something but it needs to be for the right reasons. Also, I like to think that people can make their own minds up and therefore I feel it is up to the audience how they interpret and read my work.

On a more general level, my work could be seen as more feminist or for those who enjoy reading poetry or illustrated works, as I tend to illustrate and provide artwork and write about women’s submission and empowerment as part of my theme. But, again, it is up to the reader how they would interpret this.

Possibly related books:

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Possibly related articles:

• Alice Lenkiewicz [Interview_1], Conversations with Writers, January 21, 2010.
• Winner of the first ever Liverpool Lennon Poetry competition is announced, by Lyndsay Young, Liverpool Echo, November 8, 2010
• Feminism, not dead again, by Marianne Cooper, Gender News, January 24, 2011

[Interview] Andrew Taylor

Andrew Taylor has written and published eight poetry collections, among them, Turn For Home (The Brodie Press, 2003); Temporary Residence (erbacce Press, 2007) and The Sound of Light Aircraft (Knives, Forks and Spoons Press, 2010).

He has a PhD in Poetry and Poetics and is a founder member of the Edge Hill University Poetry and Poetics Research Group. In addition to that, Taylor also co-edits erbacce and erbacce-press.

In this interview, Andrew Taylor talks about his writing:

How would you describe the writing you are doing?

Poetry.

Some have describe it as innovative, some realist, some post-realist.

I think it’s for others to describe it though rather than me.

Who is your target audience?

Whoever is publishing the poems I guess.

I never have thought of a target audience really. I just hope that those who buy the books do so for the purposes of enjoying the poems and in supporting the small presses who kindly publish the work.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

That’s an interesting question.

I often think that the personal can distract from the writing process. However, that said, others often say that my greatest work to-date is the collection Poetry and Skin Cream which stemmed from a personal experience that I’d rather not go into as it involved someone’s death and was incredibly upsetting for me.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

I’m not sure that I have concerns as such.

Of course, there are personal concerns and concerns for the wider world, such as the environment and that stupid war in Afghanistan and Iraq. But seldom do these things get into the poetry.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

I guess the challenges I face are the opportunities to write and to make the most of them mixed with my editorial roles at erbacce and erbacce-press, which takes a lot of time.

Do you write everyday?

I try.

My most recent project has been utilizing photographs so this has been a starting point.

I sometimes write into a notebook at home, then type the notes up at the office the following day. That’s quite productive! End points usually stem from when work calls …

How many books have you written so far?

Six, one has been published twice.

• Turn For Home, The Brodie Press, August 2003. Debut collection that appeared from a press that originated from Liverpool University. Poems in this collection came from a residency at Liverpool Architecture and Design Trust (LADT) that ran 2000-2003.
• Poetry & Skin Cream, erbacce Press, December 2004. This collection was written after the death of a friend and is extremely personal in content. A hard collection to read from my perspective!
• Cathedral Poems, Paula Brown Publishing, August 2005. Collection of fourteen poems written during a residency at Liverpool Cathedral. Contains a piece of poetics that appeared in my Doctoral thesis.
• Poetry & Skin Cream [2nd Edition] erbacce Press, October 2007 Republished as the original edition sold out.
• Temporary Residence, erbacce Press, October 2007 Written during a residency at Liverpool Art project called the Loft Space which was an artist led project.
• And the Weary Are at Rest, Sunnyoutside Press, June 2008. Collection submitted to one of my favourite presses. Extremely proud to have worked with David at Sunnyoutside. He’s a talented guy.
• Make Some Noise, Original Press, August 2009 A manuscript of poems written during Doctoral research in Woking, Surrey, that was rejected by one press as being too oblique. Sent it to Sam at Original Plus, who kindly understood what I was trying to do.
• The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper, Differentia Press, December 2009. A collection of recent work that Felino was kind enough to accept having published me in his Counterexample Poetics site.

Which authors influenced you most?

Firstly, the Liverpool Poets: Adrian Henri, Brian Patten and Roger McGough. I came to these after secondary education and studying the likes of Keats. They were a breath of fresh air. This ignited my interest in poetry.

During university I became aware of the work of Tom Raworth, Lee Harwood, Robert Sheppard (who became my PhD supervisor) and Scott Thurston. These writers showed me the more experimental side of things that occasionally sneaks into my work. The range I think is what influenced me most.

Also, I have to mention Bukowski who was there from early doors. Of course, Ginsberg and Kerouac, (in the case of Kerouac whose poetry is to many, unknown, is a delight).

Recently, I have returned to some of the masters – Wordsworth, Keats and Rimbaud. I always return to Henri though. He was one of the subjects in my PhD thesis and I can dip into the collected poems at any time and get something new every time. Brilliant and under-rated poet.

How did you chose a publisher for The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper?

I sent Felino Soriano the manuscript of recent work that I had gathered together to see if it worked as a complete text.

I felt that the collection worked and was keen for a publisher/editor I admire, to clarify. Thankfully, Felino did and he has been a fantastic editor to work with. There have been no disadvantages at all. Well, perhaps the fact that Felino lives so far away and I would like to meet him and buy him a drink!

Which were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into the book?

Perhaps the most difficult aspect was the belief in oneself in that I gathered the collection together myself and then passed it on. So perhaps the confidence in one’s own ability was the most difficult thing. I dealt with it by sending it to Felino!

I think the aspect I enjoyed the most was the fact that this collection didn’t stem from a residency, was a collection fully formed and presented to a publisher pretty intact

What sets The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper apart from other things you've written?

I think it is different in that it was a more uncontained collection stemming from my own ideas of a collection.

Also, it is the first e-book that I have been involved in!

It is similar to the others in that it has poems about loss, love and cities in it.

What will your next book be about?

My next book is almost complete. I have yet to approach publishers. It is similar to The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper in the process of writing and the voice that I have tried to achieve. It is a collection of 36 or 37 poems inspired by photographs.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

To be published. Full stop.

For other editors to print and publish the poems is a massive achievement I feel. I am humbled every time my work appears somewhere.

When did you start writing?

I was in a band in Liverpool in the 1980s and by default became the band’s lyricist. From then, whilst studying for my undergraduate degree, I started writing short stories, which in turn led to a Masters degree in writing. The difference though by now was that I started writing poetry.

Related articles:

• Interview with Andrew Taylor, By Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, Liverpool Art and Culture Blog, April 9, 2007
• Richard Wink [Interview], Conversations with Writers, April 19, 2010

[Interview] Zvisinei Sandi

Zimbabwean writer, academic and civil rights activist, Zvisinei Sandi teaches on politics and literature in Southern Africa at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University.

She has also worked as a journalist and was secretary general of the human rights watchdog, the Society for Gender Justice.

Some of her short stories have been published in anthologies that include Creatures, Great and Small (Mambo Press, 2005) and Women Writing Zimbabwe (Weaver Press, 2008).

In this interview, Zvisinei Sandi talks about her writing.

When did you start writing?

I started out as a very little child, at about six, seven years old. I used to make plays about my parents and friends and the colorful years back then -- the last days of Zimbabwe’s liberation war, the Cease Fire, the Assembly Points and the changes in lifestyle for everyone.

When did decide you wanted to be a published writer?

Very early really, in high school, although my parents fought it. They were afraid that my writing would get in the way of my studies. They did all they could to stop me, including taking away my manuscripts and giving me extra chores. When I got the Randalls National Essay Writing Prize in 1990, they were furious with my teachers for encouraging me. However that prize, handed over to the hardly formed seventeen year old girl who never before had been to a city, determined the course of my life. I decided then that I was a writer, and would always be a writer.

How would you describe the writing you are doing?

It’s about the parts of the world I have seen …

Who is your target audience?

The world is my audience.

Every person lives a separate life, and hopes and aspirations and dreams that only they can tell to the rest of the world. I often find that I have a lot to say.

Who influenced you most?

My family has had the biggest influence on me -- they taught me to love my country, and to value everything that is good and beautiful and decent. They taught me to love music and hard work and to dream. And my writing is mostly comprised of these.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I would say, a great deal. I remember as a little girl, my first, faltering, almost ridiculous attempts at writing, and father telling me that what I really needed at the time was not to bury myself in a manuscript, but to go out there, and learn, get the certificates that would be my passport to the world, and see the world and then, if I still wished it I would have something to write about.

Now, having grown up, passed through grad. school and traveled, I believe I have something to say. I can write about pain, anguish, despair or joy with conviction because I have experienced these things and can talk about them with authority.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

Zimbabwe has had a challenging decade, and in an economic meltdown, the publishing sector is always the first to go. At the moment my main concerns are about finding publishers for all the writing I did while in Zimbabwe. This includes a number of novels, short story and poetry collections.

Do you write every day?

Every night at 2 a.m., I wake up. That’s when my mind is clearest and I sit up to ponder on the dynamics of my world. That is when I do my writing. It’s a pattern I established long ago, as a young girl growing up in the Zambezi Valley, and the days where too full and fast to allow even a single moment of reflection.

How many books have you written so far?

I have written about four books, though I have not yet managed to find publishers for all of them. Two of the books, Through Hararean Mazes, and Tales of the Wild Savanna have been serialized in the weekly newspapers The Southern Times and The Sunday Mail (Namibia and Zimbabwe).

I have also had short stories published in the anthologies Creatures, Great and Small, published by Mambo Press in 2005, as well as Women Writing Zimbabwe, published by Weaver Press in 2008.

Various articles and poetry selections have been published online.

My novels, Vagrant Souls and Flight from the Inferno are still waiting for a publisher.

What is your latest book about?

That would be Flight from the Inferno. It’s a fast-moving adventure story that starts in Harare, in 2000, and makes its way into the crowded market places of Lusaka, and then moves into war-torn [Democratic Republic of Congo] DRC.

The book virtually carves a path through Central Africa. When I started writing it, I had never been to any of the places. Carrying out the research was one of the most challenging jobs I have ever attempted. However, with the help of my college classmates, most of whom are now scattered in various countries across the African continent, it all came out beautifully. And, now that I have travelled the world, and actually seen these countries, I can present them with authority.

Which aspects of the work did you enjoy most?

It was an exciting adventure putting the thriller together, building into it all the energy and color of the incredible Central African environment.

What sets the book apart from other things you've written?

It’s that excitement you find in it -- that zazazu you find in the thrill of fear, and danger and that “Go! Go!” feeling you get when you encounter a life struggle.

What’s similar between this work and all writing, the world over, is the effort that went into it. Yes, you have a powerful story, and a clever way of delivering it, all that would amount to nothing without all those long, grinding hours. In the end, you do have to put in a lot of hard work.

What will your next book be about?

At the moment, I am working on another colorful short story collection, covering all the places I have been to, and the exceptional people I have encountered.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

My most significant accomplishment? Well, that's challenging for me to say, because you know what? It’s still coming. I see myself as just starting out my writing career, and when I am 90, curled up in front of a fire, surrounded by grandchildren and great-grandchildren, then I will close my eyes and -- this I promise you -- I will tell you of my greatest accomplishment ever.

Related books:

,,

Related articles:

• "Zvisinei Sandi: Writer and Political Exile", by Vinita Mohan, Justice, Social Memory and Story-Telling, September 26, 2008.
• "Repression in Zimbabwe and the South Africa Connection: An Interview with Zvisinei C. Sandi" by Russell Berman, Telos Press, May 29, 2008.
• "Zvisinei Sandi", Munyori Literary Journal.
• "Zvinisei Sandi", Poetry International Web -- Zimbabwe

Interview _ Gary Albyn

Gary Albyn was born in Zimbabwe in 1960 and currently lives in South Africa with his wife and two children.

His poems have been featured the anthologies, Forever Spoken (International Society of Poets, 2007) and The Best Poems and Poets of 2007 (International Society of Poets, 2008).

His gift book, Manzovo: Place of the Elephants (30° South Publishers, 2008) is an illustrated 110-verse poem that comes with a DVD of the poem recited by the South African Shakespearian actor, John Whiteley.

In this email interview, Gary Albyn talks about his concerns as a writer:

When did you start writing?

I started writing the poem Manzovo: Place of The Elephants in late 2003. The saga of the matriarchal herd just continued to evolve and develop over a period spanning 14 months. Upon completion, and without any notion of publication, I decided to memorize the story in order to be able to recite it to like-minded audiences; people with an abiding love and respect for our environment and natural heritage. Many members of those early audiences exhorted me to give serious consideration to publishing the story.

How did you get the book published?

The nature of the book I envisaged lent itself to a “coffee-table” format -- one that should bear complementary illustrations of the highest quality.

Upon my return to South Africa after a stint working in the Middle East, I immediately went to see Chris and Kerrin Cocks from 30° South Publishers in Johannesburg. Kerrin and Chris -- himself an author-cum-publisher -- listened attentively to my pitch and, to my complete surprise, immediately agreed to publish the book. So much for having to knock on dozens of publishers’ doors!

The obvious flaw in my proposal was that I didn’t have anyone to illustrate this book that 30° South Publishers had so readily agreed to publish. With a nonchalant wave of his hand, Chris said he’d “get Craig to illustrate the book!” As an ex-Zimbabwean myself, I knew -- of course -- of the world-famous ultra-realist wildlife artist Craig Bone, but could it possibly be the same person Chris was referring to? The rest, as they say, is history.

In less than a year, Craig Bone produced almost 200 paintings and sketches for the book, 100 eventually being incorporated into Manzovo: Place of the Elephants.

What motivated you to start writing?

We study history in the belief that the lessons extracted from past events may enlighten and prepare us for an uncertain future. Such lessons, if wisely applied, may hopefully cause future generations to adjudge ours as having contributed to the ongoing evolution and ‘civilization’ of mankind. Alas, I don’t think this generation will be so adjudged, given our appalling track record in the areas that truly count. Maybe my message can limn a future a little more tolerable for the next generation, and beyond.

Society at large has an alarming track record in respect of the management of its natural resources. These resources can be managed on a sustainable basis, but the deliberate and profligate destruction of our wild lands, flora and fauna -- all in pursuit of selfish gain -- is a sure precursor to catastrophic consequences. I hope to bring the plight of our planet -- and our collective future and survival -- to the forefront of discussion and debate.

Which authors influenced you most?

I have eclectic tastes in genres, authors and topics. Whilst I read extensively, I particularly admire those authors whose fictional works draw heavily on accurate research, and bold authors whose topics, whilst controversial, force us to argue and wrestle with our own embedded (and often flawed) beliefs or principles. Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris spring to mind.

Cullen Gouldsbury was widely regarded as the “Kipling of Africa.” His poetry resonates with the fluidity of the true heartbeat of this continent.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

I allow myself to feel a brief sense of accomplishment when complimented on my book -- much the same way a proud parent would react to recognition given to their child’s achievements -- but I neither dwell on it nor seek it. As a collaborative project involving many parties, I am merely its author, and my only wish is for Manzovo to succeed in bringing a wider awareness to the pressing issues we face.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I grew up in the old Rhodesia and was fortunate enough to spend much of my youth communing with nature. I am always re-inventing and re-invigorating myself whenever I return to the bush.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

I admire those who have the innate ability to massage words such that the essence of each sentence splashes vivid hues on the readers’ mental canvas. I am a long way from achieving that, and my challenge is to not only get there, but not believe myself when I think I’ve arrived!

Do you write everyday?

I am engineer by profession and, for the foreseeable future, will continue earning a living in that environment. Hopefully the literary gods will look favorably upon my desire to write full time!

How many books have you written so far?

Two previous poems, “Mother” and “Father Time” have both been published by the International Society of Poets. “Mother” appears in their anthology Forever Spoken (2007), whilst “Father Time” appears in The Best Poems and Poets of 2007 (2008).

How would you describe the story behind Manzovo?

Thandi, now at the height of her prime, is the astute and respected matriarchal head of a herd of elephants. She gives birth to Lesedi -- the last of her five calves -- and thus begins their sweeping journey through the bushveld and across the open vistas of southern Africa.

While the herd has to deal with brushes with predators, farmers, poachers and culling gangs, their odyssey across the sub-continent also embraces some of the cultures, natural wonders and landmarks that give character to this region. So too are described encounters with some of the floral and faunal species unique to this part of the continent.

The poem portrays their epic travels at a time in our past when elephants were able to range, with relative ease, across the timeless plains of Africa. The story weaves in the arcane rhythm that pounds like a tribal drum deep in Africa’s chest.

How long did it take you to write it?

I started writing Manzovo in late 2003 and was still putting finishing touches to the story just prior to going to print in June 2008.

How did you chose a publisher for the book?

I had read Chris’ first book, Fire Force, a few years before and, upon my return to South Africa in late 2006, heard that he was now publishing books with a Southern Africa bias. I chose him as the first publisher I’d visit due to our Zimbabwe connection.

What advantages or disadvantages has this presented?

Only advantages! Chris and Kerrin were quick to intuit that there were wider opportunities locked within Manzovo, which they have been able to liberate.

Which aspects of the work that you put into the book did you find most difficult?

The story required an enormous amount of patience, and went through literally hundreds of often small changes and variants. Neither this nor the research for the book ever proved to be tiresome. It is, however, most fulfilling to eventually see it manifest in hard copy…!

Which aspects of the work did you enjoy most?

The most rewarding element of Manzovo is doing the recital to an appreciative audience. They’re drawn into the raw beauty and emotion of the African theme, and oftentimes will admit afterwards to an almost indefinable and ethereal connection with the spirit within.

What sets the book apart from the other things you've written?

Its length!!

In what way is it similar?

I mostly try and write on issues that leave the reader with a message, a trigger for introspection.

What will your next book be about?

Craig Bone and I are looking to collaborate again on another African themed story. Next year perhaps!

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

I will answer that at some stage in the future when, I hope, Manzovo would’ve moved a critical mass of people to act decisively on behalf of our planet’s species and wild lands.

More at OhmyNews International.

Related Article:

Zukiswa Wanner [Interview], Conversations with Writers, November 14, 2008.